Firehouse Clash : Junior Reid vs. Don Carlos

This disc is a short simple compilation of a few Junior Reid and Don Carlos tracks. It's got 11 tracks total. The first 5 are from Junior Reid and the last 6 are from Don Carlos. I've had this disc since the late 1990's and still listen to it on a regular basis. It serves as a decent sampler for the two artists. My favorite Junior Reid track on this on is #2 (Respect Due). My favorite Don Carlos track off this one is #11 (Spread Out), although the CD has other popular Don Carlos tracks like (Living in the City) & (No Trouble This). Although this CD was distributed by RAS, it was put out under the label name "Live & Learn". It seems to be kind of an economy type of release - maybe meant for cheaper retail pricing. None the less, this is still a solid set of tracks to have in rotation.

Rare Reggae Grooves from Studio One : Clement Dodd

This disc is from the Heartbeat label (1999) and meant to be a follow-up to "Studio One Showcase Vol. 1". This is a short disc with only eight tracks, but they're all crucial. Many of the tracks on this one are extended tracks and the result of the re-mixing the popular hits of the time. What we end up with are these great versions that have been picked from deep in the Heartbeat catalog. My favorites on this one are: #1 (Cuss Cuss - Lloyd Robinson), #6 (My Baby - The Martinis), #8 (Going to Zion - Winston Francis), and #2 (Sing a New Song - Peter Broggs). Sing a New Song showcases Peter Broggs' outstanding vocals with simple clear lyrics and a killer organ riff turns this one in to a heavy, heavy classic. Other artists on this album include The Gaylads, The Silvertones, and Ken Boothe. I don't want to forget about the booklet - it's has nicely detailed notes on each track. Only eight tracks, but at least you get a deep look in to the story of each one. Listening to this disc after reading the booklet makes this quite an lesson on roots music. Give it a try.